Why do a Matrix film when you can't make money from it. Why not do an original story?
This is usually the first question most people ask. Well, we are fans ourselves, and like so many, we wanted to take our part this ultimate story and being a
part of a Matrix film. So many of us were inspired by what Wachowski brothers brought to the screen back in 1999. Matrix Trilogy affected all walks of life and cultures, with industry standards being broken in all film making. From a production level WRONG NUMBER was a test to see what could be done on a low budget independent level and try to achieve a good production value. This is our first film and our goal was to produce WRONG NUMBER at a highest level we could achieve with our possibilities and also show what could be done for little money and dedicated talent. We plan to go on and make original films, however, we needed to prove to ourselves and the industry that it can be done.
Is Wachowski brothers, aware of your film and isn't he going to sue the hell out of you?
For most people who do not understand fan films we get this question often. To answer, I doubt if Wachowski brothers themselves has seen or ever will saw WRONG NUMBER. However, we are planning to send a copy of WRONG NUMBER to some institutions, related to original Matrix Trilogy production and to Vince Evans (original WRONG NUMBER comics author) with all our explanations and sincere excuses for using their brilliant works for our project.
What else can be said? WRONG NUMBER is a non-profit film and everyone who worked on the film was a volunteer (no one was paid) The film itself will be available free to download from this website and other places in the Net to anyone, who wishes to watch it.
When will the final film be completed? How long is the film?
WRONG NUMBER is due to release August 2006. WRONG NUMBER will run close to 20 minutes in length.
How much did it cost you to make and film WRONG NUMBER?
This in one I don't like to answer simply, but I'll try. WRONG NUMBER was funded from my back pocket and the pockets of some crew members. Together it takes approximately 1000 US dollars for all WRONG NUMBER production.
How were you able to create such a good production value on such a small budget?
That's usually the follow up question to the previous, "How much did it cost?" We were able to keep costs down by involving creative artists in the industry who believed in the film and could see the potential production value. We treated WRONG NUMBER in terms of a professional production and not just a small fan film. Many people volunteered time, energy and equipment to the project and this helped save cost. I also bartered a lot for services and equipment, trading one service for another. Many people were willing to help WRONG NUMBER. And we just want to create this film so much!
Just a fact: On a strange coincidence all women, present on a film shooting got name “Anna” (it's originally man's name from old-hebrew means “blessed”). They are: main player Anna Romanova, makeup artist Anna Getmanceva and journalist Anna Silaeva.
How were you able to get locations and properties for the film?
Again, I must say, "we just want to create this film so much". We just tell some people about our project and it worked. All I had to do was present to vendors what we were doing, show them the production value, and sometimes pay a little. But most of the time all you have to do is ask. I am not a big believer in guerilla filmmaking, in which you go on some property without permission and shoot your scene. For one you have to rush for fear of getting in trouble and two it's just unprofessional. The end result can be rushed, poor looking work, when all you had to do was ask. If they say “no”, then you keep looking and keep asking in other places. Someone is going to say yes at some point if you present yourself professionally and know what you are doing. The result is you can shoot comfortably and get the shots you need.
What are your plans after WRONG NUMBER?
If the funding is there we plan to go on and make our own original films on an even larger scale. We are able to take our part at any interesting project ever will be suggested to us.
Movie:
Were can I get WRONG NUMBER movie, look on onset and movie photos, listen movie soundtrack?
Onset and movie photos are collected on MEDIA Images page of this website. You can download our movie from MEDIA Film page (also don't forget to download English .srt subtitles there, cause WRONG NUMBER is originally Russian language movie). You can get onset-clip-teaser (also with subtitles) on MEDIA Clip page. Information about movie soundtrack lies on MEDIA Music page.
When WRONG NUMBER takes place?
Before, or at the time of first part of Matrix Trilogy. Agent Shepherd is looking like and acting like non-upgraded agent module.
What is this logo on a wall in a subway scene?
Originally it's a Russian logo of “Transport machine building plant” (Kharkov), after which subway station is named. We have meaningly put this logo into subway scene, jokingly meaning “Trilogy trade mark”
What weapons are used by WRONG NUMBER characters?
Unfortunately, we can't found suitable model of IMI / Magnum Research Desert Eagle (Agent's weapon in Matrix Trilogy) for our film. Also we got some technical problems with weapons, cause, as we've founded, blank cartridges are often “too weak” for proper fired cartridge extraction on some reachable pistol models, and we need cartridges extraction for some scenes to be good looking.
Partly, because of that agent Shepherd in WRONG NUMBER is armed with Beretta 92 less powerful, but more capacious (15 cartridges against 9). Also because of that (previously described technical problems) Angel is armed with Springfield ME-69 - model, with do not have combat analog.
Just a fact: we've fired 88 (eighty eight) blank cartridges during WRONG NUMBER shooting.
This is usually the first question most people ask. Well, we are fans ourselves, and like so many, we wanted to take our part this ultimate story and being a
part of a Matrix film. So many of us were inspired by what Wachowski brothers brought to the screen back in 1999. Matrix Trilogy affected all walks of life and cultures, with industry standards being broken in all film making. From a production level WRONG NUMBER was a test to see what could be done on a low budget independent level and try to achieve a good production value. This is our first film and our goal was to produce WRONG NUMBER at a highest level we could achieve with our possibilities and also show what could be done for little money and dedicated talent. We plan to go on and make original films, however, we needed to prove to ourselves and the industry that it can be done.
For most people who do not understand fan films we get this question often. To answer, I doubt if Wachowski brothers themselves has seen or ever will saw WRONG NUMBER. However, we are planning to send a copy of WRONG NUMBER to some institutions, related to original Matrix Trilogy production and to Vince Evans (original WRONG NUMBER comics author) with all our explanations and sincere excuses for using their brilliant works for our project.
That's usually the follow up question to the previous, "How much did it cost?" We were able to keep costs down by involving creative artists in the industry who believed in the film and could see the potential production value. We treated WRONG NUMBER in terms of a professional production and not just a small fan film. Many people volunteered time, energy and equipment to the project and this helped save cost. I also bartered a lot for services and equipment, trading one service for another. Many people were willing to help WRONG NUMBER. And we just want to create this film so much!
Again, I must say, "we just want to create this film so much". We just tell some people about our project and it worked. All I had to do was present to vendors what we were doing, show them the production value, and sometimes pay a little. But most of the time all you have to do is ask. I am not a big believer in guerilla filmmaking, in which you go on some property without permission and shoot your scene. For one you have to rush for fear of getting in trouble and two it's just unprofessional. The end result can be rushed, poor looking work, when all you had to do was ask. If they say “no”, then you keep looking and keep asking in other places. Someone is going to say yes at some point if you present yourself professionally and know what you are doing. The result is you can shoot comfortably and get the shots you need.
Originally it's a Russian logo of “Transport machine building plant” (Kharkov), after which subway station is named. We have meaningly put this logo into subway scene, jokingly meaning “Trilogy trade mark”
Unfortunately, we can't found suitable model of IMI / Magnum Research Desert Eagle (Agent's weapon in Matrix Trilogy) for our film. Also we got some technical problems with weapons, cause, as we've founded, blank cartridges are often “too weak” for proper fired cartridge extraction on some reachable pistol models, and we need cartridges extraction for some scenes to be good looking.
